ISLAMABAD: Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf has opted for undergoing coronary angiography abroad in view of paucity of advance cardiac support system in Pakistan.

In pursuance of the Special Court's direction of January 16, Musharraf's medical report was produced before the Special Court on Friday.The report, prepared by the medical board of the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC), stated that the seriousness and unpredictability of the disease warranted close and constant supervision of the patient till a decision to undertake further procedures/ interventions was taken. It recommended that the decision must be taken as early as possible.

The medical board further submitted that the patient had expressed his keenness to undergo coronary angiography; however, he had reserved his right to undergo coronary angiography or any subsequent intervention at the medical facility of his choice.

According to the report, Pervez Musharraf feels that although adequate facility for coronary disease management (Coronary angiography, angioplasty/ stinting and cardiac surgery) exists in Pakistan, there is paucity of advance cardiac support system in the country like left ventricular assist devices required to save the patient's life in event of sudden severe heart failure, complicating such cardiac interventions.

The report stated that his multi-slice CT coronary angiogram had revealed densely calcific triple-vessel coronary artery disease, including main stem disease, adding that the presence of disease in the left main stem was of grave concern due to its very location.

It was submitted that in view of findings of the CT coronary angiogram, the disease was considered serious and unpredictable and it could be quickly life-threatening in event of destabilisation, particularlyunder stress or during the coronary intervention. Such a destabilisation can lead to a massive heart attack and be immediately fatal.

The report recommended that coronary angiogram was required urgently to ascertain the need for further interventions like coronary artery by-pass graft surgery to optimise the management.

The Special Court ordered the formation of a medical board on January 16 comprising senior doctors of the AFIC for ascertaining the health of the accused and directed that the medical board should submit its report by January 24 and thereafter it will decide about the appearance of the accused before it.

On Friday, Registrar Abdul Ghani Soomro handed over the sealed medical report of Musharraf, prepared by the AFIC doctors, to the judges.Anwar Mansoor, the counsel for Pervez Musharraf, requested the court to keep the content of his client's report private. However, the court ordered the provision of report to the prosecutor and defence lawyer for scrutiny.

Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Akram Sheikh, however, told the court that Musharraf had claimed to be a public figure and the law had different provisions for public figures and private persons.

Justice Faisal Arab, then, remarked that the judges needed to review the report first. Akram Sheikh submitted that he was going to file written objections to the medical report of the accused, filed by the medical board.

The prosecutor submitted that the medical board report portrays that the accused wanted to go abroad as he had no trust in the medical institutions of the country. He pleaded that another medical board, comprising senior cardiologists of Pakistan's famous medical institutions like Aga Khan, Al-Shifa hospitals, etc, be formed to review Musharraf's medical report.

Justice Faisal Arab asked Akram Sheikh to file his written objections. Anwar Mansoor requested the court to adjourn the proceedings as he said the review petition against July 31, 2009 had been fixed in the Supreme Court next week on Tuesday.The court then adjourned the hearing till January 29, asking Akram Sheikh to file his written objections to the medical report by January 27.

End.

What do you think about the story ? Leave your comments!

Heading (Optional)

Your Comments: *

Your Name:*

E-mail (Optional):

City (Optional):

Country (Optional):

Field marked(*) are mandatory.
Note. The PakTribune will publish as many comments as possible but cannot guarantee publication of all. PakTribune keeps its rights reserved to edit the comments for reasons of clarity, brevity and morality.
The external links like http:// https:// etc... are not allowed for the time being to be posted inside comments to discourage spammers.